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The Montreal Alouettes' first preseason game will be an especially emotional affair on Friday night at Percival Molson Stadium.
Two new faces on the Montreal roster will face off against their former team, the Ottawa Redblacks, in a particularly symbolic matchup.
Tight end Marco Dubois and quarterback Dustin Crum will both be facing Ottawa for the first time since joining Montreal in recent months.
For Dubois, the moment will be even more significant. Drafted by the Redblacks in 2018, he spent the last seven seasons in the nation's capital before being released shortly before the start of the current training camp.
A fresh start in Montreal for Marco Dubois
After a few days on the sidelines due to a calf injury, Dubois is now back at full strength with the Alouettes.
The Montreal native admits that this first matchup against his former team represents a special moment in his career.
“It's going to be especially special to play my first game with the Alouettes in Montreal, my hometown,” he explained.
Although several changes have taken place within the Ottawa organization since his departure, Dubois obviously still has many ties to the players he'll face on the other side of the field.
The veteran also hopes to use this new opportunity to prove that he can still play an important role in the CFL after being released by Ottawa.
Dustin Crum Already Highly Regarded by Jason Maas
For his part, Dustin Crum continues to adapt to the Montreal offensive system after signing with the Alouettes when the free-agent market opened in February.
The former Rouge et Noir quarterback insists, however, that he is trying to focus on his own performance rather than on the opponent.
“I just want to do my job and earn the respect and trust of my new teammates,” he said.
Head coach Jason Maas is already very impressed with what he's seen from his backup quarterback since the start of camp.
According to Maas, Crum is making steady progress and demonstrating the mental and physical toughness that is highly valued in the league.
A winning culture attracts new players
Dustin Crum also explained that the culture established in Montreal played a major role in his decision to join the Alouettes.
The quarterback praised the work done by Jason Maas and the positive environment built by the organization over the past several seasons.
“I want to win,” Crum summarized, speaking about the reasons that led him to sign with Montreal.
The Alouettes now hope to see this new momentum translate onto the field starting with this first preseason game against Ottawa, as several players will look to impress the coaches ahead of the official start of the 2026 Canadian Football League season.
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